Cane car



Sept. 23, 1941. A. c. SCHMOHIL CANE CAR Filed Sept. 21 1938 A a; EYS.

Patented Sept. 23, 1941 pNirEsTATEs PATENT OFFICE Alfred C. Schmohl,Beaver Falls, Pa., assignor to Pressed Steel Car Company, Inc.,Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 21,1938, Serial No. 230,904 2"Claims. (01.105-367) This invention pertainsgenerally to cane cars of the type provided with movable side walls tofacilitate. discharge of lading and pertains specifically to means forreleasably securing the said side wall in lading retaining position.

Cane cars of the type to which the present invention pertains areconstructed to transport loads of cane from field to mill. Suchcars whenfully loaded carry from one to five or more tons of cane. The car sidewalls in the present invention are constructed of a longitudinal topmember which is flexible and a plurality of depending flexible membersspaced longitudinally of the top member, connected thereto and to thecar underframe. These side walls are maintained in lading retainingposition by connecting the ends of the longitudinal member to end wallsor corner posts ofthe car and are moved to lading unloading position bydisconnecting one or. both ends of the longitudinal member and lettingit fall to the ground. Obviously, the cane stalks in the car imposeconsiderable tension in the longitudinal and depending flexible members,necessitating relieving of suchtension to release the longitudinalmember from the car end .walls when ordinary means are used to connectthe longitudinal member to the car end walls. Where the fastening meansused are such as to require the operator to stand in the way ofdischarging cane when the side wall is dropped, there is danger of hisbecoming injured through contact with the cane lading or being struck bythe longitudinal member.

An object of the present invention is to provide fastening means whichmay be operated from an end of the car without danger to the operatorfrom being entangled with the side wall or lading.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fastening means whichis readily releasable and yet protected against accidental releasethrough pressure of lading or movement of car.

In the drawing forming part of this specification wherein Fig. 1 showsin side elevation a cane car equipped with the invention; Fig. 2 showsan enlarged end elevation of the invention and Figs. 3 and 4 showenlarged side elevation and plan views of the invention; referencecharacter I indicates a conventional cane car underframe having endwalls comprising corner posts 2 at each corner of the underframe andconnected thereto by gusset plates 5. The tops of said posts 2 arejoined by end members 3 and gusset plates 4.

The car side walls comprise a top longitudinal gaging shaft l0 securedto post 2.

flexible member such as a chain 6 and longitudinally spaced dependingflexible members such as chains 1 for connecting the longitudinal member6 to the underframe- 1. Each end of chain 6 is preferably provided witha closed link 8 by means of which the fastening means of the inventionconnects the longitudinal member 6 with corner posts 2 to retain theside wall in lading retaining position.

oted to the corner post and engaging the end link 8 of chain 6. A hasplock is also pivoted to the post and engages the hasp to retain same inengagement with said link. The stress imposed on chain 6 by the ladingor the weight of the chain alone will rotate the hasp into a position inwhich the chain endlink 8 will fall from off the hasp unless the hasp isrestrained from rotation. The hasp lock furnishes this restraint. Bothhasp and lock have been designed to provide for positive engagementtherebetween and when so engaged the action of the chain upon the haspcannot effect separation of hasp and lock.

Whenever it is desired to separate hasp and lock the operator mustrotate the look away from the chain and hasp, which may be done with aminimum of eflort and maximum of safety for the operator. Y

Each hasp comprises-an eye 9 for pivotally en- Depending from said eye 9is shank l I, the free end of which is deflected to one side of shaft I0and away from chain link 8 to provide a link engaging portion andterminates in an end portion [2 for engagement with the hasp lock. Thisend portion l2 of shank II is preferably deflected downwardly foreffecting a purpose hereinafter described.

Each hasp lock comprises a portion such as handle E3 to be grasped bythe operator in manipulating the lock. At one end of handle I3 is asuitably formed portion to be engaged by shank H of the hasp and isillustrated in the form of spaced arms 14 between which the shank Hextends. These arms 14 are connected together and to handle 13 toprovide a portion to be engaged by shank II and its end portion i2. Eacharm I4 terminates in an eye I5 pivotally mounted on shaft l6 secured tothe car end at post 2. To insure against accidental operation of thelook,

as by striking an obstruction during movement Each fastening meanscomprises a hasp piv- I3 when being rotated upon shaft Hi to efiectseparation of hasp shank l I and the lock.

Referring now to Fig. 3 of the drawing wherein the hasp and lock areshown by full lines in a position to secure the chain 6 to post 2 it isapparent that any stress exerted by chain 6 upon shank ll of the haspwill tend to rotate said shank towards the chain and, dispose the shankin a substantially vertical position, permitting chain 6 and its link 8to move off the said shank and release the chain from post 2. However,when shank H of the hasp is disposed between arms 14 of the hasp lockand end portion l2' oi" the shank engages the hasp look any tendencytoward rotation of the hasp from a force exerted through chain 6 willalso rotate the hasp, lock in the same direction, thereby preventingseparation of hasp and lock and consequential release or. chain 6 frompost 2. Likewise, any rotation of the hasp look towards the hasp orchain merely 2. If handle H of the hasp lock is struck a blow tending tocause rotation of the lock in a direc tion away from the hasp and chain,the member I! being disposed in the path of said movement of handle l3prevents such rotation;

When, however, intentional separation is desired the operator graspshandle 13 and rotates it to the right of Fig. 3 which. istoward'sthe,hasp and chain, as indicated by dot-and-dash. lines, until the handle 13clears member ii. The operator can then pull handle l'Toutwardly awayfrom post 2 until the handle 13 is in position for rotation to the leftand away from hasp and chain as indicated by dot-and' dash lines totheleft of. post 2 on Fig. 3;v In this latter position the hasp. being'freeof the lock, will rotate into a po sition in which link- 8 of chain 6can move off shank H of the hasp and permit that end of chain 6 to fallto the ground. B-y' s'omanipulating thehasp look at both endsof chain 6theentiresidewall of the'car can be lowered.

Whenever it is desired to again erect thecar sidewall the operator g-rasps one endof" chain 6, bringing: link 8= thereof into position toengage hasp shank I 1, moves the link over end I2 of theshank and. againengagesthe hasp. shank I l with the hasp look as shown in Fig. 1 and byfull lines on Fig. 3. By repeating this at each end of chain 6 the carside wall is erected into lading retaining position.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A collapsible lading body side wall of the character describedcomprising, a. flexible longitudinal side wall member having aperturedend portions for connection with side wall supporting members, a latchpivoted to each said supporting member for engagement with the adjacentapertured end portion of said longitudinal member, a latch lock pivotedto each said supporting member for movement into engagement with theadjacent latch to retain same in engagemerit with saidlongitudinalmembers and means on each said supporting member for selectiveengagement with said latch lock for preventing movement of said latch:lock out of engagement with said late-n- 2; In a car side wall.structure. including up wardly extending posts. at. each; end oi the.side wall and a chain member" connecting the upper ends. of said posts;the: connection between. one end. of the chain and; the adjacent postcomprise ing alatch. member having'an eye. portion pivot: ally mountedon said post, a chain. bearing portion depending from said eye portionand ten-- minating in a latch. lock engagingrportionextendi-n'goutwardly from said. chain bearing: portiomt a. latch lockcomprising: a. bifurcated: bodypore tion. one end of which. terminates.in. an. eye-pom tion pivotally supported: on said' post in spaced;relation to: sai'dlatch eye. portion, the opposite end 01- said body.portion; terminating: in a bear:- ing for the: outwardly extendingportion of said latch. and: an elongated handle portion depending; fromsaid biiurcated' body portion; a stop secured tosaid postand disposed inthe: path otsaidihamdie for normally: preventing suflici'entrotatiomotsthe handle to produce. separation. or: the. latch;- from its bearing onsaid bifurcated. portion: on the latch: lock, said: latch. lock. beingmovable-a sufiicient distance relative to said: stop. to; fires)the-latch lock for rotation. and separationof latchl and lock. to. freethechain from the said post ALFRED, c. seHMon-n.

